Spring Has Sprung!

Spring is a wonderful season. It is a time of new beginnings, nature’s glory, Easter… the beginning of baseball season, warm weather, and a bunch of great birthdays!

Spring is such a symbolic season in our lives. “Spring cleaning” can be used in more ways than just dusting off your fan blades and changing your smoke detector batteries. My goal for the season is to “spring clean” my life – all aspects of it! It is time to get the old, dusty routines out of the way and make room for bright and warming ones.

My first item on my “spring cleaning” list is my relationship with God. After taking an almost 7 year hiatus from the church, it is time that I rekindle that relationship – for myself and those in my life. Inspired by several recent visits to 12Stone, I understand the importance of such a relationship.

My second item on my list is my health. Having several issues with allergies and a run in with MRSA I need to get things back into control – health wise. This season I promise (to myself) that I will get back on my goal of weight loss, will be more conscious about the things I put my body through (and mind), and will focus on a healthier me!

My third, and final, item on my list is my finances. Being in my mid-twenties (MAN THAT SOUNDS WEIRD) it is time for me to hunker down and focus on the things that await me in life. It is time to stop the senseless spending and focus on savings for a home… a family… a long and happy life! I am a relatively frugal person, but it is time for focus. Gotta stay on track.

This list is a good start for the season. Keeping focus on the new and cleaning out the old… a good motto to always live by, but a great thought for the beginning of Spring.

Golf Tourney Debut

For the first time in my life I participated in a golf tournament. Having never been very skilled at the game of golf, I was a little nervous this morning on the way to the course. My team (Brandon, Kevin, Colin, and myself) all arrived early this morning at TPC Sugarloaf. Yes, today I lived my life philosophy to the fullest extent... "GO BIG OR GO HOME".

We started off around 10 am with a scramble. I don't mean to brag, but my team actually used MY ball TWICE!! (People who have seen me golf know this is a big deal!)

We got to take a couple of photos along the way before the tournament was cancelled due to the ongoing rain.

Although the tournament was cancelled, all players received a complimentary "rain check" for another day. My team plans to return sometime this summer for another round on the championship course!

After the tournament was cancelled we returned to the clubhouse for the silent auction, lunch, and raffle items. The lunch was DELISH and Brandon and I won some great gifts: an official 2009 Kentucky Derby framed print, a $50 gift card to a Buckhead Life Group restaurant, and I got a new Hooters golf bag!

The day was a blast and I can't wait to get back to TPC Sugarloaf for a full round of golf!

I Want To Believe

Trust (truhst): Reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, of a person or thing; a person on whom which one relies; responsibility; confidence; hope.

It all starts with trust…

Trust is an important part of life. Whether we are trusting our families and friends to do their part in a scenario or a doctor to perform the proper techniques to insure the safety of his patients, trust is what it all boils down to. Trust is the foundation of all relationships and without it, there is no true relationship.

“How do you find true love when everyone hides the truth?” - PK

After attending several weeks at a new church, I decided to listen back to a few sermons on podcast. One of those sermons was about trust in marriages. This sermon explained that trust is built on (a) a code of truth versus the covering of lies, (b) self-awareness without self-centeredness, and (c) confession not perfection. The message was amazingly powerful. Relationships call for an ultimate goal to build trust that is so deep that the people involved have no reason to doubt.

Plain and simple, trust is built on truth. Where trust is lacking, relationships are impossible. Building it back is simple… tell the truth. There is freedom in honesty. (John 21: 4, 15)

The pastor had the congregation ask the question “Can I be trusted?” My name is Stephanie, can I be trusted? I know I can be trusted… can you?

Trust can be defined in several ways using different words, thoughts, or feelings. Most importantly, trust is defined in two simple words… “to believe”.

Respect

People never cease to amaze me – especially today. The lack of respect runs rampant throughout society. Children and teens do not respect their elders, drivers do not respect each other on the roadways, and most importantly co-workers do not respect each other in the work place. One can always point fingers, but in this case turn the finger around towards yourself. Everyone can take a little of the blame on this one.

It seems that weekly I am amazed in the lack of respect within the workplace. Bosses show little to no respect for employees and in turn, employees show no respect for their bosses. It is a vicious and ongoing cycle that is continually fueled by today’s society.

Disrespectful actions take a toll on people – causing outbursts of seemingly unwarranted rage. These bursts are not unwarranted at all, they are days or months or years of built up feelings. These bursts are the person’s stand against the disrespectful actions.

Now, I am only 24 years old, new to the workplace (within the past 2 years), and a female. My situation is probably not seen everywhere, but (once again) I am amazed at the lack of respect I receive. I am a smart girl. I attended college at a major university and graduated with a B.A. in Communication and Information Sciences. The fact is, I know what I’m doing, but because of my age, my newness to the work environment, or my sex, I’m regarded as ignorant or unknowing.

These actions are seen elsewhere in my life, but I try to ignore them because I know what I’m doing and I know I’m doing a good job, but the lack of respect fuels a deep fire that continues to be stirred.

Hello! McFly!! Have you never heard the saying, “treat others as you wished to be treated”? Apparently not…

Hello Blogging World

Hello Blogging World... I'm new here.

Inspired by a friend who recently sent me an invitation to view her blog, I decided to try the online journaling, reflecting and thought sharing for myself. I've seen blogs in the past, but have shied away from them only because I didn't feel that I had much to share. Now things are different and I do have things that might be of interest to others that I would like to write about - thoughts, photos, stories, etc.

So, hello blogging world... I'm new here... my name is Steph.